US: Supreme Court blocks New York City soda ban

The Supreme Court in New York has blocked the introduction of a ban on large sugary drinks in the city, a day before it was set to be introduced.

The ban, proposed by Mayor Michael Bloomberg in May, would have outlawed high-sugar soft drinks bigger than 16oz (47.3cl) in restaurants and other service sectors in the city. However, Judge Milton Tingling ruled today (11 March) that the move, set to hit New York tomorrow, was “arbitrary and capricious”.

Following the announcement, the American Beverage Association, which was one of the organisations appealing the ban, said: "The court ruling provides a sigh of relief to New Yorkers and thousands of small businesses in New York City that would have been harmed by this arbitrary and unpopular ban.

“With this ruling behind us, we look forward to collaborating with city leaders on solutions that will have a meaningful and lasting impact on the people of New York City.”